Hello,

As I was starting to implement LokateIt, I quickly found the NHM.Attributes missing some feats I need; so I first tought about implementing them, but I finally decide to do a new (non-backward compatible) implementation. :oops:

I know that it looks like a waste of time; but I end up with a "Generator" that can generate ALL the attributes with ALL the code to extract them from the Type and write them as XML. The implementation is based on some smart ideas from the current NHM.Attributes (like the [XmlEnum] for enumerations :) )

So this means a (almost) 100% coverage. :P

Almost because I still have minors problems to solve: :?

:arrow: John, how are you solving the issue of <subclass> ? (I am using the same FindAttributedProperties(), so my implementation will probably have this issue)
And is there any other know issue ? :wink:

:arrow: Add AllowMultiple for "Generator" ? (like in current NHM.Attributes.GeneratorParameterAttribute)

:arrow: AttributeUsage - Use "Class" and "Property"
Note : Use "AttributeUsage.Class" for
"Class", "Subclass", "JoinedSubclass",
"HibernateMapping", "Component" and "Discriminator"
ALL others are tagged with "AttributeUsage.Property"
Is there any problem with allowing "Field" ? (I saw a request for it...)

:arrow: <joined-subclass><key> is tagged with "AttributeUsage.Class" in current NHM.Attributes;
but it is not possible here. Problem ?

:arrow: Are "struct" allowed ? (eg. for <component>)

:arrow: How-To: Mapping of <query> and <sql-query> (of <hibernate-mapping>) ?


---

"big" problem : (if <column> matters for you :) )
When an <element> contains many <sub-elements> which can contain the same <sub-sub-element>...
Eg. <list> contains <key>, <index> and <element> which can contain <column>

If a [SubSubElement] is used, then there is no way to know to which <sub-element> it belongs
Eg.
[Attributes.List]
[Attributes.Key]
[Attributes.Column(...)]
[Attributes.Index]
[Attributes.Element]
public IList MyList { ... }

ATM, the [Column] will be used by all <sub-elements> (repetition) :(

A solution would be to make it ordered :
=> The [SubSubElement] belongs to the <sub-element> that is just before
Eg. in this case, [Column] is for [Key]
But it means that the user will have to order the <sub-elements> and it can be very painful


( this problem is only for such "concurrency" situations;
it should be possible to detect when it exist and force the ordering )

The "big" problem is now fixed :) The attributes are now ordered with a position index (optionnal)

Others questions are still open...

I will commit it tomorrow (hopefully :wink: )

Hello,

I read the answer of John and as this new implementation should totally replace the current, I will wait that you test it and then I will remove the current NHMA and commit the new NHMA in the NHMA directory (instead of creating another directory that will be "renamed" after)

Here is the binary: NHibernate.Mapping.Attributes.Experimental-bin.zip
Here is the source code: NHibernate.Mapping.Attributes.Experimental-src.zip
Unzip it in "\NHibernateContrib\src\" and open "readme.htm".

Can you test it (by porting your projects that used NHMA) and give me some feedbacks ?
(John, you certainly have a project for that ;) )

The <subclass> issue should be solved (in FindAttributedMembers(), I break when the base class is decorated)

There is some breaking changes like
<Class><discriminator> and <JoinedSubclass><Key> was specified at class-level, but now it must be define on a (any) member of the class.
It should be possible to change that (making it class-level) but I am not sure that it will not have some nasty side effect :D
Do you want this change?

If there is some features that can not be ported, let me know. :arrow:

There was a little "copy'n'paste" error in the precedent release (in HbmWriterHelper.cs) that affect the (automatic) Name of <subclass> and <joined-subclass>.

It is now fixed; so you can download it again.

A new release is available:

Here is the binary: NHibernate.Mapping.Attributes.Experimental-bin.zip
Here is the source code: NHibernate.Mapping.Attributes.Experimental-src.zip
Unzip it in "\NHibernateContrib\src\" and open "readme.htm".

I am not planning any new release (the next will be in NHibernateContrib 0.9) :wink:

Updated !
This zips reflect what will be committed in the CVS.

Here is a message I received in my mail-box:

It could make the maintenance of NHMA easier, but it will give more work to NHibernate developers :D As the mapping schema evolve very slowly, I don't think that it is worth.



For <meta> and <jcs-cache>, they can't be class-level because of the way the writers work... (same for <discriminator>)
You can put them on any property of the class (like the identifier)

<import>, <query>, <sql-query> are not supported; IIRC, it is possible to write them in a separated mapping file... (like MyImports.hbm.xml) :?
I will think about this problem and see if I can find a solution.

<idbag> is a kind of collection... I don't understand why you put it here. (a typo ? :D)


Thanks for your feedback :)
Can you tell me if it works as expected? (is there any (minor) problem/side-effect?)